Preface - My Pen is Still Burning

Preface

MY PEN IS STILL BURNING

I have compiled these articles a few years ago. This is a collection of my columns, selected essays and poems in English and Tagalog, which I wrote during my stay in The Featinean, the official publication of the students of FEATI University, as a staffwriter for two years, from January 1993 to May 1995, and as a features and literary editor for two years, from June 1995 until I decided to relinquish my post on March 1997. But I still contributed articles in The Featinean literary folio of Summer 1997 and Summer 1998.

My stay in The Featinean is a fruitful one and will never be forget. I started my career as a published writer when The Featinean editors have given me a chance to be part of this great publication. I have passed the writing exam given by The Featinean in January 1993, when some of its writers resigned or fired from the publication.

This book “Fire in the Pen” is a rare gem of valuable writings, and I’m proud of this. This is a record of my writings printed in the pages of The Featinean. This may be incomplete because I only started collecting my printed pieces only in 1996, and some The Featinean magazines and newspapers during our time were gone. Only those copies which I have kept at my cabinet in the publication office remains with me, which became part of this collection.

As I retyped these articles I have written more than ten years ago, I sense that I should improve my writings, most especially my grammar in English, and the structuring of paragraphs. I edited here only grammars and typographical errors printed in the original, and deleted some unnecessary data. But I preserved to its original form some of the thoughts I wrote then, but I didn’t agree now, so I can assess myself in the future and the development of what I believe in. And what’s printed then is now history.

Anyway, I did not included in this book the news and other researches I have written and was published in The Featinean because I thought this is not necessary and should be left in the pages of The Featinean. I only published in this collection my selected essays, columns and poems, which I believe can stand the test of time.

To our publication advisers, to my co-editors and co-writers, wherever you are, thanks for everything. You will always be in my heart and writings. I hope someday we’ll meet again and maybe to reminisce our memories of yesteryears. Let us keep our pen burning, for a nation with social progress based on social justice.

I maybe gone from The Featinean, but I’m proud I started there. I continue to write articles, essays and poems, in English and Tagalog, in other publications. I still continue what I have started in The Featinean, which is writing from the heart for the present and future of our beloved nation, the working class, and for social justice. I believe that the future belongs to those who are brave enough to pass the path of social justice, where there will be no inequality, no injustices, no harassment, no intimidation, no corruption, but peace and justice reigns in this nation and in the whole world.

In this, I heartfully dedicated this collection to my parents (who both graduated in FEATI University), my family, my relatives, to our future writers, to our fellowmen, and yes, to you.

My pen still burns and will continue burning! Mabuhay ang ating The Featinean!!!

GREGORIO V. BITUIN JR.

Features and Literary Editor, The Featinean, 1995-1997

Staffwriter, The Featinean, 1993-1995

FEATI University

Sta. Cruz, Manila